CV

About my workI am a freelance playwright, director and storyteller with over twenty years experience in theatre and in drama education. I have written and directed for professional theatre, youth theatre, TIE, community theatre and site-specific performances, and I have experience of devising theatre with people of all ages, abilities and experience. I have also received writing and performing commissions from more unusual sources, including the NHS and environmental organisations, and I am very experienced in creating theatre based on reminiscences and historical archives. At the core of my work is a commitment to the idea that we make sense of the world through play, exploration, experimentation and narrative. I actively pursue collaborations with other artists and my theatre-making practice has been broadened and deepened by working with dancers, musicians, visual artists, film-makers, photographers, puppeteers, scientists and environmentalists.I teach drama and devising on a freelance basis and also run workshops and courses in creative writing, script writing and storytelling for all ages and levels of experience. I have been involved in many large and small-scale education projects as writer/dramatist and have extensive experience of creating education resources and providing training for teachers and other professionals.

Between 2002 and 2007 I was involved in writer development as a member of the management group of Script Yorkshire, the Yorkshire regional organization for new writing. I also work as an arts-in-education trainer and consultant. Before developing a freelance career I taught drama in secondary schools and was Head of Drama at Hope Valley College in Derbyshire for twelve years (1987 to 1999).My most recent play, The Unknown Land, toured nationally in 2009 and 2011 in a production by Cotton Grass Theatre. Theatre Writing, Devising and Dramaturgy‘The Unknown Land’(Writer)Cotton Grass Theatre Original full-length play for one actor and one musician, inspired by true accounts of nineteenth century Arctic exploration, Inuit mythology and the fatal attraction of the polar regions. National small venue tour June 2009 to February 2010.The Lab(Writer/Dramaturg)Crucible Theatre, Sheffield – Theatre training project for 18 to 26 year olds which gave the participants a taste of all aspects of professional work in theatre. I was Associate Writer for the group and worked with them to create ‘Palmland’ - an original piece of theatre performed in June 2008.‘On Common Ground’(Writer / Co-Director)Commissioned by High Peak Community Arts. A community theatre project to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the ‘mass trespass’ on Kinder Scout. Developed in collaboration with musician/composer Aidan Jolly and members of the community. July 2007.‘Tales From Nowhere’(Writer)The Stables Theatre, Milton Keynes– Music theatre script for children incorporating ideas and writing generated in workshops with 10-11 year olds. Performed by a cast of 120 children in June 2007.

‘Encompass’(Dramaturg)Compass Theatre Company– A ‘parallel practice’ project with BTEC students at North Lindsey College to devise short performance pieces based on the company’s production of Arthur Miller’s The Price. The students’ pieces were performed on the set of The Price as curtain-raisers at the Plowright Theatre, Scunthorpe. April 2007.‘Now You See Me’and ‘Living Dangerously’(Writer and Director)Open Door Youth Theatre, Ashbourne – Two original plays developed through workshops with youth theatre members. Produced in March 2007. ‘Travels With A Broken Heart’(Writer / Performer)Original monologue inspired by music from Europe and the USA. Developed in collaboration with singer Carol Bowns and pianist Heidi Rolfe. Nominated for Best Actor at Buxton Fringe Festival 2005. Tour 2006.‘No Worries?’ (Writer / Workshop Leader) Participatory Theatre-in-Education project commissioned by Derbyshire Health Promoting Schools. Toured Derbyshire primary schools from February to April 2005.‘A Woman's Life and Loves’(Writer / Performer)Original monologue inspired by songs about love and life. Developed in collaboration with Carol Bowns and Heidi Rolfe. Winner of Award for Best Musical Event, Buxton Fringe Festival 2004. Rural tour 2005.‘Something in the Water’(Writer / Director / Performer)Commissioned by Sheffield Children's Festival. Collaboration with Simon Banda of Sunduza Dance Company, Zimbabwe. A site-specific performance which links the story of the Sheffield cholera outbreak in the nineteenth century with present day Africa. Simon and I performed alongside a cast of 60 children. July 2004.‘The Selfish Giant’ (Writer)Opera North Education - Residency with Opera North at Kiveton Park Meadows Junior School, Rotherham, to create and perform a new opera based on the Oscar Wilde story, The Selfish Giant. I ran creative writing workshops to generate text for the libretto and wrote teaching materials for the resource pack. Produced in May 2004.‘Mother Country’(Writer)Short play. Rehearsed reading at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds in 2003.‘The Magic Box’(Writer /Performer)Theatre in Education performance and workshop commissioned by Health Promoting Schools, Derbyshire. Toured to over 50 primary schools in 2003 and 2004.‘Dance of the Eastern Dawn’(Writer / Director / Performer)Commissioned by Sheffield Children's Festival. Collaboration with Balbir Singh (Diversity Dance) and Shanaz Gulzar (Chol Theatre) and children from three Sheffield schools. Performed at the Crucible Studio, Sheffield. July 2003. Dore Tales’(Writer)Community play commission for Dore in Sheffield. Three plays based on local history archives and oral history. Performed by a community cast of 70 in July 2002.

‘Time Tales’(Writer / Deviser)Cotton Grass Theatre and Babbling Vagabonds Storytelling Theatre One act play for children and shadow puppets inspired by folk tales from around the world. 2002.‘Balancing Act’(Writer / Performer)Commissioned by Derbyshire Community Health for a women’s health conference in 2000. Performed at various festivals from 2000 to 2004. ‘Hard Times and Hungry Times’; ‘Something in the Water’ (solo version)and‘A Tour of the Ruins’(Writer / Performer)Living History commissioned by Sheffield Wildlife Trust/Green Estate. 2000 – 2002.‘Gardens of Delight’(Writer / Director)Cotton Grass Theatre Storytelling theatre for adults. Full length play based on stories from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. Outdoor performances and rural tour 2000.‘Into the Rose Garden’(Writer / Performer)Cotton Grass Theatre One act play. Two Derbyshire productions, 1999 and 2005.‘Black Bread and Tired Feet’(Writer / Performer)Cotton Grass Theatre One act play for a family audience, based on three Russian folk tales. January 2000.‘The Glorious Tale of the Golden Whale’(Writer / Co-Director)Cotton Grass Theatre One act play for performance by a large cast of children and one giant puppet. (1999)‘The Hollow Country’(Writer)Cotton Grass Theatre One act play for an audience of children inspired by the landscape and folklore of the Peak District. (1998)

‘Paradise Park’(Writer)Full length musical for youth theatre with music by Paul Barker. First production Hope Valley College, 1991. Revised 1999. Productions 2003 and 2004 by schools and youth theatres in Derbyshire and Sheffield. Runner‑up for 1999 Vivian Ellis Prize. ‘Keep Off the Grass!’(Writer)One act play for youth theatre. Produced at Hope Valley College 1996. Publ. by New Theatre Publications.‘Stop! Think! Rewind!’(Writer)One act play for youth theatre. Produced at Hope Valley College 1995. Publ. by New Theatre Publications.‘Which Witch?’(Writer)Merlin Theatre, Sheffield. Full length adaptation of Eva Ibbotson’s novel. Community cast production at the Merlin, 1993. Student production at Hope Valley College, 1996.Other Writing'Cabbage and Custard' (Script Writer/Director)Radio play in four episodes. An educational resource for Year 6 Literacy and PSHE. Commissioned by Health Promoting Schools, Derbyshire. Launched March 2006.‘Village Voices’(Writer / Director / Editor)Community Residency commissioned by Bamford Community Arts and Crafts as part of the Bamford Living Memory project. I ran reminiscence and writing workshops with children and adults, created a book from this material (publ. Oct. 2004) and created a community performancewhich I scripted and directed. September 2003 - October 2004.Education and Community WorkThe Last Laugh (Adapter/Director) – Commissioned by High Peak Writers to adapt their radio play (an exploration of mental health issues) for the stage and direct a community production for the Buxton Fringe Festival. July 2010LINk Viewpoint Film Project (Writer/Facilitator) – In collaboration with Aidan Jolly, I am working with a group of older people and a separate group of disabled adults to create films for the LINk website as part of a creative consultation through the arts. Project managed by High Peak Community Arts under commission from Derbyshire LINk (Local Interest Network). October 2009 – June 2010Open Door Youth Theatre, Ashbourne (Director) – Production including original short dramas devised by youth theatre members and a performance my one-act play, ‘Keep Off The Grass!’ Production March 2010Stonelow Drama Project (Director/Deviser) – Two small-scale performance projects at Stonelow Junior School, Dronfield to develop drama skills and create two original performances linked to curriculum topics: ‘Lowry’ - years 3 and 4, and ‘The Greeks’ - years 5 and 6. November 2009 / January 2010Creative Partnerships, Sheffield(Creative Agent) - Creative Agent for four Sheffield schools, supporting and advising them in the development of their Creative Partnerships programme. Member of the South Yorkshire Creative Agents team since April 2006.Buxton Opera House Family Pick ‘n’ Mix Festival – ‘Drama in the Dome’ : a play-in-a-day workshop on the set of the Opera House production of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’‘A Tale as Old as Time’ and ‘Sharp Teeth and Very Long Tails’ : interactive storytelling sessions for 3 to 5 year olds. October 2009‘Brave New Worlds’ (Theatre Educator) – CP Enquiry at Hartley Brook Primary School, Sheffield. Working with a year 5 class and their teacher to develop drama skills and introduce the ‘Mantle of the Expert’ approach to the school. Dec. 2008 – June 2009.‘Story Quest’ (Storyteller/Theatre Educator) – CP Enquiry at Cotmanhay Infant School, Derbyshire. Partnership with year 1 classes, their teachers and a professional film-maker to develop outdoor learning. March 2009 – July 2009.Ready, Steady, Let Go!’ (Theatre Educator) – Residency with Year 3 at Annesley Primary School, Nottinghamshire, on a CP project to embed drama methodology in teaching across the curriculum. September 2008 – January 2009